Netizens of the world unite

IT IS LESS THAN A MONTH after Time magazine named 'You' - that is, you, me and the other billion ordinary netizens credited with wresting control of the information age from so-called experts - as its Person of the Year.

And that 'person' includes the countless Hong Kong students, who have taken to sharing sites such as Xanga, Facebook, MySpace and YouTube in this new interactive age of the Web 2.0 revolution.

The most recent launch, YouTube - born 23 months ago in a garage in California's Silicon Valley - has a simple and irresistible allure. Anyone, from powerful television networks to amateur teenage filmmakers, can take part, and it's free.

The site's mantra 'Broadcast Yourself' makes it a cyber magnet for teens - talented or wannabe - in possession of the necessary technology, which can be anything from the most sophisticated video equipment to a camera phone like the one that recorded former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's execution for the world to see.

Hong Kong educators say the site's popularity is yet another reminder of how many students have become smarter than their teachers. They say submissions to YouTube and other social-networking sites often show youngsters marching in the vanguard of technological advancement with many of their teachers bringing up the rear.

'One of the challenges for schools is how to address the knowledge gap between teachers and their technology-literate students,' said Karen Moffat, deputy principal of South Island School. 'Teachers' lack of technology skills and knowledge is preventing them from accessing youth culture.'

According to Nielsen/Net Ratings, an internet audience measurement firm, 20 million youngsters visit YouTube each month, with an average age of between 12 and 17 years old.